


Blind Tiger

by neverthelessthesun



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Adventure, Alcohol, Alternate Universe - 1920s, Alternate Universe - Historical, American History, Canon-Typical Violence, Drabble, Gen, Historical References, Inspired by Art, M/M, Moonshine, Prohibition, Short One Shot, actually significantly less than canon-typical violence, and its so good too, historical inaccuracy probably, speakeasy, this fic is practically a feel-good fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-20
Updated: 2016-10-20
Packaged: 2018-08-23 13:20:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8329414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neverthelessthesun/pseuds/neverthelessthesun
Summary: 1920's era AU. Short.
Finnian's job is to find people like this pilot and bring them in to be punished for breaking the law. But he hears the whispers on the street about the adventure of the speakeasy, and he's intrigued...





	

**Author's Note:**

> This ficlet is inspired completely by radio-silents' work here!  
> http://radio-silents. tumblr .com/post/151967643404/ask-me-about-my-20s-star-wars-au
> 
> It will probably never get longer. I am sorry in advance.  
> Thank you for reading, and enjoy!

Organa Speakeasy. It was the most secretive bar in town, but somehow everyone knew about it, and everyone wanted to be there. It was rumored to be a dark smoky room, glittering with shimmering curtains and silk-covered dining chairs. The stage, the flappers whispered, was set low due to the limiting basement ceiling height, but others say it was a grand stage rival to that of the New Amsterdam Theater over on Broadway. But something no one could disagree on—Organa’s drinks were the finest in town, and his joint was also the safest.

The First Order was in a scramble to close the place down, but they didn’t have any idea where it was, who owned it, and who went there. They were completely without leads. It was generally assumed that the owner was middle-aged, that he was rich but not famous, and that he had spies on the inside of the Order. The stress that Captain Hux was putting on his men to find out more, and do everything they could to shut down this illegal brewery, was astronomical. 

Finnian thought wryly to himself that the pressure was driving his coworkers to drink. Wasn’t that ironic. 

Finnian himself was less than faithful to the First Order’s commitment to destroying the underground criminal production of alcohol. He viewed the club scene the way one might view a Rolls Royce—it was flashy, fast, and he wanted a taste of it. Still, because of his position as a man for the Order, he refrained from seeking it out.

Until man with the airship was caught. 

“I’ve heard about this one…” Phasma muttered. “Pilot hero in the Great War turned moonshine runner back home.” She glanced at the mussed, dark man on the bench. “It’s a miracle we captured him—he’s faster with an airship than anyone I’ve seen before. We were lucky—we got between him and his ship.”

Finnian stood at attention but watched out of the corner of his eye as one of the other Order men shoved the pilot to his feet. He winced. It was clear this man had been shoved around a bit. 

Phasma was sighing again. “What a waste,” She snarled, lip curling. She pointed at Finnian. “Take him for processing.” She spun on her heel and left. 

The man was in cuffs, and looked defiantly back at Finnian from under a flop of dark hair. He was handsome, Finnian noticed abstractly, but he also had a glint in his eye that promised adventure, intrigue, and a little magic. 

It looked like an offer of freedom to him. He closed his eyes for a single moment.

When he opened them, he broke the law. 

As soon as they were out of earshot and out of sight, Finnian backed the man into the grey wall. He covered his mouth to stop him calling out in surprise. “This is a rescue!” He whispered quickly. “Can you drive a squad car?” It took him a split second longer than it should have to remember to remove his hand from the man’s face. To distract from that, Finnian set about undoing the handcuffs around his wrists.

The man looked surprised, but he didn’t hesitate. “I can drive anything,” He said confidently. 

So Finnian finds himself stealing a squad car, aiding and abetting the escape of a criminal, and running away to have an adventure with a complete stranger. He thought back to the offer he imagined in the man’s eye, and he was glad he decided to take it. 

“What’s your name?” the man asks. 

“Finnian.”

“What?”

“Finnian. John Finnian. No one calls me John, though. So, Finnian.”

“Hm. Well that won’t do.”

“Hm?”

“Well you need a nickname, if you’re coming back to Organa’s with me. You won’t like the one they give you.”

Finnian felt a jolt when the man said that name. He was with Organa? Organa the Speakeasy owner? He tried to temper his excitement. 

“Well, what do they call you?”

“Poe. I know, horrid.”

Finnian didn’t think it was horrid at all.

“I know! I’ll call you Finn. How does that sound?”

Well, everything else about Finnian’s life had changed in the last twenty minutes. “Sure.”

“Great! Nice to meetcha, Finn. Welcome to the blind tiger scene!”

**Author's Note:**

> For reference:  
> —A Speakeasy is an illegal establishment that sells alcohol. In the Roaring 20’s, these establishments cropped up in rebellion of Prohibition. A speakeasy would often be in a secret basement or behind a false wall, and would offer homemade and often poorly made drinks to their patrons. Often there was music and a show as well.
> 
> —Flappers are women who were trendy in the 20’s. They were considered “Tomboys” and were some early pioneers of breaking gender norms. They wore their hair ear-length, their skirts knee-length, and their makeup dark.
> 
> —the New Amsterdam is tied with the Lyceum and the Hudson for oldest Broadway theater still in operation. It opened in 1903.
> 
> —Police and government officials were required by their positions to turn in any suspected breakers of the law, including and often especially speakeasy runners. However, since said officials were commonly patrons of the establishments, this was largely considered a joke.
> 
> —Airships were similar to zeppelins or “blimps”. They were still used more often than planes for cargo carry by air in the 1920’s, so it makes sense that Poe would be piloting one of those instead of a military fighter plane from the war.
> 
> —Moonshine is homemade booze.
> 
> —John was the most popular boy’s name in 1900, when I’m estimating our Finn would have been born. It is a wonderful coincidence that he also shares first names with Mr. Boyega!
> 
> —"blind tiger" was 20's slang for speakeasy.
> 
> —In my head, Leia runs the speakeasy, and when the First Order find out that a woman has been outsmarting them for nearly a decade, they all collectively lose their shit. I love destroying patriarchal worldviews!


End file.
